Flip open package with tiered compartments

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a package for holding one or more comestible products having a first compartment and a second compartment extending from, and rotatable with respect to, the first compartment. The package has a closed position where the first and second compartments are substantially coplanar with each other and an open position wherein the second compartment lies in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation to the first compartment. A cover extends from the second compartment and overlies at least a portion of the first and second compartments when the package is in the closed position.

The present application claims priority to provisional patent Application Ser. No. 60/942,636 filed Jun. 7, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to packages for containing various products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a package, with offset holders, for containing and dispensing comestible products, such as confectionery products including candy and gum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chewing gum is currently available to consumers in a variety of different formats. These include stick gum, slab gum, pellet gum, extruded gum, and others. In recent years, packaging for gum has undergone various changes. A variety of types of gum packaging, including certain types of packaging used predominantly for one or the other of the gum formats, are available to consumers.

Slabs of gum have often been sold in foil packages. Originally, these slabs were arranged in a package in a side-to-side manner, perhaps including five to seven slabs per package. More recently, these slabs have been arranged within the foil packages in a face-to-face manner, allowing 15-20 slabs to be contained in a convenient package. Slabs are also offered in packages where the slabs lay side-by-side in a compartment formed by the packaging, where a cover moves between a closed and open position to permit dispensing.

Flip open packages that have more than one compartment for holding gum are known in the art. However, it can be difficult to access the gum in each of the compartments of these conventional multi-compartment flip open packages due to the positioning of the compartments with respect to each other. Accordingly, a multi-compartment flip open package is desired that allows easy access to the pieces of gum in each of the compartments

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a package for holding one or more comestible products is disclosed that includes a first compartment, a second compartment, and a cover. The package can be formed from a single continuous piece of material. The second compartment extends from, and is rotatable with respect to, the first compartment. The package has a closed position where the first and second compartments are substantially coplanar with each other and an open position where the second compartment lies in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation to the first compartment. The cover extends from the first compartment and overlies at least a portion of the first and second compartments when the package is in the closed position.

The first compartment can have a first opening and the second compartment can have a second opening. The openings can face each other in the closed position face in the same direction in the opened position. The cover can overlie the first and second openings when the package is in the closed position. The first and second openings are vertically and laterally offset from one another in the open position.

In another aspect, a package for holding one or more comestible products is disclosed that includes a first compartment having a first wall portion and a second compartment having a second wall portion. The first wall portion and the second wall portion can be formed from a common wall. The first and second wall portions are pivotally configured so that the first compartment and the second compartment are configured to rotate with respect to the other between a closed position of the package and an open position of the package. The first and second wall portions are substantially coplanar when the package is in the closed position and the second wall portion is folded over and against the first wall portion so that the second wall portion at least partially overlaps the first wall portion when the package is in the open position. The first compartment forms a first tier and the second compartment forms a second tier when the package is in the opened position.

In yet another aspect, a method of forming a package for holding one or more comestible products is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a continuously formed blank and forming a first and second compartment from the blank. The second compartment extends from, and rotatable with respect to, the first compartment. The package has a closed position where the first and second compartments are substantially coplanar with each other and an open position where the second compartment lies in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation to the first compartment.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a package in a closed position that can be formed in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the package of FIG. 1 in an open position.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the package of FIG. 1 hinged in a slightly open position.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 to illustrate the package in the closed position.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a preferred embodiment of a blank used to form the package of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiments of the present invention include packages for containing and dispensing a comestible product. In particular, the present invention may be used for containing and dispensing confectionery products such as gum pieces, hard candy, or other comestibles. While the particular embodiments shown herein are employed to contain gum pieces, it may be appreciated that the package may contain any type of product. Such product may also include other confectionery products, such as gum in various sizes and shapes including sticks, slabs, pillows, pellets, and the like, as well as other confectionery products, such as hard candy, chocolate, and the like. The product can include multiple pieces or be a single unitary piece. Also, non-confectionery products may be contained and dispensed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 1-4 show a package 100. The package 100 can be positioned in a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 4) and an open position (FIG. 2) and is rotatable therebetween (FIG. 3). The package can be formed from a single substantially continuous piece of material, such as paper board or other suitable material, and is used to contain and dispense comestible product pieces 102 (FIG. 2), which can be contained in loose orientation within the package 100 or which may be held in place using a small amount of adhesive. The package 100 may be covered by a plastic overwrap (not shown) of a type known in the art, which is removable by a user prior to dispensing the comestibles. The product pieces 102 may be any size, shape, or configuration including slabs, pellets and sticks. While individual discrete slabs are shown, it is contemplated that the package 100 may contain one or more products having portions thereof that can be broken away or detached for use. Moreover, while individually wrapped product pieces 102 are shown, the package 100 may contain unwrapped pieces.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-4 and particularly to FIG. 2, the package 100 includes a first comestible compartment 110 (hereinafter “first compartment 110”) and a second comestible compartment 140 (hereinafter “second compartment 140”) with interiors 112 and 142, respectively, for holding the comestible product pieces 102. The first and second compartments have a generally rectangular configuration with a width W along which the comestible product pieces 102 can be disposed to form one or more rows. Openings 114 and 144 can be formed in the first and second compartments 110 and 140, respective such that the openings 114 and 144 extend along the width W of the compartments and from which the comestible product pieces can be dispensed. The product pieces 102 can be held in the first and second compartments in a side edge-to-side edge configuration or can be held in a face-to-face configuration. The package 100 can also include a closure 145 (FIG. 1) having a first element 118 disposed on the first compartment 110 and a second element 154 disposed on the second compartment 140.

The first compartment 110 is formed by a first front wall 116, first back wall portion 124, first bottom wall 126, and first opposing side walls 128 (FIG. 2). The comestible product pieces 102 can be held in the first compartment 110 in one or more row-like arrangements and can be individual wrapped or unwrapped gum pieces. The first front wall 116 can include a first element 118 and notch 120. The first element 118 can be used to selectively hold the package 100 in the closed position. The first element 118 can be a portion of a hook and loop mechanism (e.g., Velcro®), a snap, magnetic material, an opening, or the like, disposed on and/or formed in the front wall 116. In present embodiment, the first element 118 is a slot that can have various configurations and that can be located symmetrically or asymmetrically on the front wall 116. In some embodiments, the slot can have a generally curved configuration. The notch 120 can be formed at an edge 122 of the front wall. The notch 120 can be formed with a generally arch-shaped configuration and can facilitate greater access to the product pieces 102 held in the compartment 110 of the package 100.

The second compartment 140 has a second front wall 146, second back wall portion 148, second bottom wall 150, cover flap 152, and second opposing side walls 156 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). The comestible product pieces 102 can be held in the second compartment in one or more row-like arrangements and can be individually wrapped or unwrapped gum pieces. The cover flap 152 can be an extension of the second front wall 146 and includes the second element 154, which can be used to selectively hold the package 100 in the closed position by interfacing with the first element 118 on the first front wall 116. The second element 154 can be a portion of a hook and loop mechanism (e.g., Velcro®), a snap, magnetic material, an opening, or the like, disposed on and/or formed in the cover flap 152. In present embodiment, the second element 154 is a tab extending from a distal end 156 of the cover flap 152 that can have various configurations and that can be located symmetrically or asymmetrically on the cover flap 152.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, in the closed position, the package 100 has a generally rectangular configuration, although other shapes are possible. The package has a broad front surface formed by the first front walls 116, second front wall 146, and the cover flap 152 and has a broad back surface formed of a common back wall 160, which includes the first back wall portion 124 and the second back wall portion 148. The package 100 has narrow side edge surfaces, when compared to the broad surfaces, and are formed by the first bottom wall 126, the second bottom wall 150, the first opposing side walls 128, and the second opposing side walls 156.

In the closed position, the first and second compartments 110 and 140 are aligned in a substantially coplanar relation with each other and the common back wall 160 is relatively straight and coplanar along the length of the package 100 and can have vertical axes 104 and 106, respectively, which are substantially aligned in the closed position. Indicia 165 can be disposed on the outer surface of the package 100 to provide information pertaining to the comestible product pieces held by the package 100. For example, all or a portion of the front and back broad surfaces can have indicia 165 disposed thereon.

When the package 100 is in the closed position, the openings 114 and 144 of the first and second compartments, respectively, face each other so that the first and second compartments 110 and 140 open towards each other. The cover flap 152 can overlie the openings 114 and 144 to cover the openings 114 and 144 when the product pieces 102 are not being dispensed. The first and second bottom wall portions 126 and 150 have a generally parallel opposing relation when the package 100 is in the closed position. The compartments 110 and 140 may have complementary diagonally formed side edges 129 and 157 (FIG. 3), respectively, at the top ends of the compartments 110 and 140 so that when the package 100 is in a closed position (FIG. 4), a diagonal slit 400 is formed. The side edges can be configured such that when the package 100 is in the closed position, the side edges are aligned in a substantially parallel manner.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the open position, the package 100 is folded to change the orientation of the second compartment 140 with respect to the first compartment 110 to expose the product pieces 102 held by the first and second compartments 110 and 140. The package is folded along the common back wall 160 of the package between the first back wall portion 124 and the second back wall portion 148 such that the second back wall portion 148 is rotated by about 180 degrees with respect to the first back wall portion 124 in the closed position, thereby, at least partially folding the common back wall 160 over upon itself. In some embodiments, the common back wall 160 can have a fold line that demarcates the first and second back wall portions 124 and 148 and provides a location about which the compartments 110 and 140 can be folded. In other embodiments, the common back wall 160 can be creased upon the initial opening of the package 100 by the user. The first back wall portion 124 is preferably longer than the second back wall portion 148 such that the second back wall portion 148 preferably folds against the first back wall portion 124 so that there is at least partially overlapping contact between the first and second back wall portions 124 and 148. In the open position, the first and second compartments 110 and 140 assume a generally parallel orientation to each other in a tiered configuration, where the second compartment 140 has a vertically stepped offset, at least partially overlapping relation, to the first compartment 110 and the vertical axes 104 and 106 of the first and second compartments can have a generally parallel relation. The first and second bottom wall portions 126 and 150 support the product pieces in the open position and a have a vertically stepped offset due to the difference in the lengths of the first and second back wall portions 124 and 148 resulting in the tiered configuration of the first and second compartments 110 and 140.

When the package 100 is in the open position, the openings 114 and 144 of the first and second compartments, respectively, face in the same direction so that the first and second compartments 110 and 140 open towards the same direction. The cover flap 152, which was overlying the openings 114 and 144 in the closed position, is rotated in unison with the second compartment 140 so that the openings 114 and 144 are exposed to allow the product pieces 102 to be dispensed. In the open position, the comestible product pieces 102, such as pieces of gum formed as slabs, are preferably aligned in two rows vertically offset from one another in a tiered configuration such that access to the comestibles 102 from the first compartment 110 and/or the second compartment 140 is possible. The product pieces may be removably retained in the first and second compartments 110 and 140 by an adhesive which may be overcome by a user pulling on the product pieces.

The compartments 110 and 140 can have positions (FIG. 3) between the closed and open position. In order to close the package 100, the first and second compartments 110 and 140 may be folded such that the first and second compartment are aligned in the same plane (FIG. 1) bringing the second element 154 of the cover flap 152 into approximate alignment with the first element 118 of the first front wall 116. The second element 154 and the first element 118 can interface, thereby retaining the package in the closed position. The cover flap 152 may be initially secured in the closed position by an adhesive. Upon first opening the cover flap 152, the adhesive is overcome.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict one embodiment of a blank 500 that can be used to form the package 100. The blank 500 can have a substantially continuous body 502 that can be constructed of a single piece of paperboard or other material of suitable strength for holding one or more comestible products. The body 502 can have first and second front wall sections 516 and 546, first and second back wall section 524 and 548 formed from a common back wall section 560, first and second bottom wall sections 526 and 550, and a cover flap section 552. The body 502 can also include side wall tabs 528 a-b and 556 a-b.

The body 502 can be folded in a manner such that the first front wall section 516 forms the first front wall 116, the first back wall portion 524 forms the first back wall portion 124, the first bottom wall section 526 forms the first bottom wall 126, and the side wall tabs 528 a-b form the first opposing side walls 128 of the first compartment. The body 502 can also be folded in a manner such that the second front wall section 546 forms the second front wall 146, the second back wall section 548 forms the second back wall portion 148, the second bottom wall section 550 forms the second bottom wall 150, the side wall tabs 556 a-b form the second opposing side walls 156 of the first compartment, and the cover flap section 552 forms the cover flap 152.

The side wall tabs 528 a-b and 556 a-b can be integrally formed such that side wall tabs 528 a-b can be disposed on the sides of the first front wall section 516 and side wall tabs 556 a-b can be disposed on the sides of the second back wall portion 548. While the side tabs 528 a-b are disposed on the sides of the first front wall section 516 those skilled in the art will recognize that the side wall tabs 528 a-b may be disposed on back wall portion 524 (FIG. 5B). Likewise, while the side tabs 556 a-b are disposed on the sides of the second back wall portion 548 those skilled in the art will recognize that the side wall tabs 556 a-b may be disposed on front wall section 546 (FIG. 5B).

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the blank 500 can be formed into the package 100 by folding the side wall tabs 528 a-b so that the side wall tabs 528 a-b are generally orthogonal to the front wall section on which the side wall sections 528 a-b are disposed and so that the inner surfaces 529 a-b of the side wall tabs 528 a-b are facing each other. Likewise the side wall tabs 556 a-b can be folded inwardly to be generally orthogonal to the second back wall portion 548 so that the inner surfaces 549 a-b are facing each other. Flaps 570 a-b and 572 a-b of the side tabs 528 a-b and 556 a-b can be folded further inward so that the flaps 570 a-b and 572 a-b extend towards each other and are substantially parallel to the first front wall section 516 and the second back wall portion 548, respectively.

The first front wall section 516 can be folded towards the first back wall portion 524 until the flaps 570 a-b contact the first back wall portion 524. The flaps 570 a-b can be adhesively or otherwise joined to the first back wall portion 524, thereby forming the first compartment 110. Likewise, the second front wall section 546 can be folded towards the second back wall portion 548 until the flaps 572 a-b contact the second front wall section 524 and the flaps 572 a-b can be adhesively or otherwise joined to the second front wall section 546, thereby forming the second compartment 140 and the cover flap 152.

Having described the preferred embodiments herein, it should now be appreciated that variations may be made thereto without departing from the contemplated scope of the invention. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments described herein are deemed illustrative rather than limiting, the true scope of the invention being set forth in the claims appended hereto. 

1. A package for holding one or more comestible products comprising: a first compartment and a second compartment extending from, and rotatable with respect to, the first compartment, the package having a closed position wherein the first and second compartments are substantially coplanar with each other and an open position wherein the second compartment lies in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation to the first compartment; and a cover extending from the second compartment, the cover overlying at least a portion of the first and second compartments when the package is in the closed position.
 2. The package of claim 1, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening, the first and second openings facing each other in the closed position.
 3. The package of claim 2, wherein the cover overlies the first and second openings when the package is in the closed position.
 4. The package of claim 1, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening, the first and second openings facing in the same direction in the opened position.
 5. The package of claim 4, wherein the first and second openings are vertically and laterally offset from one another in the open position.
 6. The package of claim 1, wherein the package is formed from a single continuous piece of material.
 7. A package for holding one or more comestible products comprising: a first compartment having a first wall portion; and a second compartment having a second wall portion, the first and second wall portions being pivotally configured so that the first compartment and the second compartment are configured to rotate with respect to the other between a closed position of the package and an open position of the package, the first and second wall portions being substantially coplanar when the package is in the closed position and the second wall portion being folded over and against the first wall portion so that the second wall portion at least partially overlaps the first wall portion when the package is in the open position such that the first compartment forms a first tier and the second compartment forms a second tier.
 8. The package of claim 7, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening, the first and second openings facing each other in the closed position.
 9. The package of claim 8 further comprising a cover extending from the second compartment, the cover overlying the first and second openings when the package is in the closed position.
 10. The package of claim 7, wherein the first compartment has a first opening and the second compartment has a second opening, the first and second openings facing in the same direction in the opened position.
 11. The package of claim 10, wherein the first and second openings are vertically and laterally offset from one another in the open position.
 12. The package of claim 7, wherein the package is formed from a single piece of material.
 13. The package of claim 7, wherein the first wall portion and the second wall portion are formed from a common wall.
 14. A method of forming a package for holding one or more comestible products comprising: obtaining a continuously formed blank; and forming a first and second compartment from the blank, the second compartment extending from, and rotatable with respect to, the first compartment, the package having a closed position wherein the first and second compartments are substantially coplanar with each other and an open position wherein the second compartment lies in an adjacent overlapping tiered relation to the first compartment.
 15. The method of claim 15, wherein the blank includes a first front wall section, a first back wall portion, and a first set of side tabs extending from opposite sides of one of the first front wall section or the first back wall portion and the method further comprises joining the set of side tabs to one of first front wall section or the first back wall portion to form the first compartment.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the blank includes a second front wall section, a second back wall portion, and a second set of side tabs extending from opposite sides of one of the second front wall section or the second back wall portion and the method further comprises joining the set of side tabs to one of second front wall section or the second back wall portion to form the second compartment.
 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising: forming a first opening for the first compartment; and forming a second opening for the second compartment, the first and second openings facing each other in the closed position.
 18. The method of claim 18 further comprising forming a cover flap that extends from the second compartment and overlies the first and second openings when the package is in the closed position.
 19. The method of claim 15 further comprising: forming a first opening for the first compartment; and forming a second opening for the second compartment, the first and second openings facing in the same direction in the open position. 